Visakhapatnam: Women indulge in gambling

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Gambling is increasing in the Visakhapatnam ( also known as Vizag and Waltair is the largest city and the financial capital of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh) and interestingly, women are indulging in playing cards and cricket betting. The police says that not just the women of elite society but those of the upper middle-class too are involved in gambling in the name of kitty parties. In 2017, over 115 cases of gambling were registered in Vizag city and 766 persons, including women, were arrested and in all, Rs 43 lakh cash was seized by the vity task force police in the raids.

A senior police officer said that over 100 women were caught by the police in the past three years for their involvement in gambling and betting. There are around 20 big gambling organisers in the city and they attract the upper middle-class and rich people in the city, he added. Revealing that organised gambling is on rising in Vizag, ACP (task force) I. Chittibabu said that gambling need not be all men game as some women are also playing the cards at various places in the city.

Vizagites have been addicted to gambling since long but the latest development is women too indulging in it. In some cases, women are borrowing money ranging from `50,000 to `5 lakh at high interests for gambling, he added. Though we have been counselling the women about the risks (financial and security and others) involved in gambling with men, there is not much impact on them.

Sometimes, the women, caught by the police, for gambling request cops not to register cases, said a sub-inspector associated with CTF. “Sometimes it is difficult to gain entry into posh localities and invade influential families where gambling is taking place,” the police said. Due to availability of easy money and leisure time, upper middle-class women are getting involved in gambling, says R.N. Madhavi, leader of a women’s organisation in the city. The tech-savvy women are playing online rummy considering safe and not known to their spouses.